


Playing House

by gingayellow



Category: Choujuu Sentai Liveman
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-17
Updated: 2012-05-17
Packaged: 2017-11-05 12:38:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/406476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingayellow/pseuds/gingayellow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Livemen weren't the only ones that missed their friends. Jou/Gou, trigger warning for urky sexual ethics.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Playing House

Disclaimer: Not mine  
\--

Gou made sure his door was locked three times before he finally let himself relax. Working with Professor Bias had countless benefits, but privacy was not among them. Satisfied that he was about as alone as he could hope, he checked his reports, flipping a switch as he did so. Things seemed to be progressing accordingly. They could launch their first strike soon.

"Gou?" Jou stumbled out of their room, still in his pajamas. He rubbed at his eyes blearily. "What did I miss?"

Gou smiled easily. "Sleep in again, Jou?"

Jou mock pouted. "Maybe."

"Well, you didn't miss much." Gou filed his reports away. "It was mostly going over how our experiments were going."

"That's great." Jou kissed him on the cheek, then strode into their kitchenette. A few minutes later, Gou could smell and hear eggs being scrambled. "I'm sure yours kicked the most ass."

Gou's smile faded with those words. "I don't know." He played with his coat sleeve. "Mazenda had some really good ideas."

"Yeah, but you have the guts to pull them off." Joe returned, two plates of eggs in hand. He set the table, and then kissed Gou again. "And Professor Bias knows that."

Gou felt a bit better. If Jou believed in him, maybe he really could do it. "Thanks." He spooned up some eggs. "It's a little weird, eating breakfast food this late in the afternoon."

"Maybe, but I'm willing to bet you skipped breakfast, so eat up."

"Yes, sir."

\--

Gou made sure the door was locked three times, then another three times. It was pretty impressive, considering all he wanted to do was pass out right now. Cradling his jaw, he lurched over to the table, fumbling with controls and switches. Then he let himself collapse in his chair.

"Gou?!" Jou was already by his side, face wan with panic. "What happened to you-- I'll get the first aid kit--"

"Don't worry," Gou managed. He took Jou's hand. "Just stay with me while I catch my breath--"

"It'll just take a moment," Jou assured him. He kissed Gou's hand, then ran into the bathroom. Gou stared at the ceiling until Jou returned. His hands were shaking, but it didn't stop him from bandaging up Gou's left arm. "Tell me what happened. Please."

Gou kept his eyes fixed on the ceiling. "Kemp's learned how to make a new form-- faster than I did. He decided to test it out on me."

"What the hell." Jou started working on his shoulder, applying ice to the bruises to reduce the swelling. "We'll talk to Professor Bias, and--"

"Professor Bias knew."

"Then I'll kick Kemp's ass myself."

"It's fine, really." Gou cupped Jou's cheek with his free hand. "It's my own fault. If I could have just figured out my own formulas soon, this wouldn't have happened."

"Bull," Jou all but spat. "But... but okay. I just want you to be safe, that's all."

"Likewise." It hurt, but Gou pulled him into a hug. "Would it help if I promised I'll only work until midnight tonight?"

Jou grinned, a little. "It's a start."

\-- 

Gou woke up to Jou in his bed. Despite keeping him in his quarters, they didn't do this a lot-- enough to surprise him every time that he woke up like this. But in a good way.

"Hey." Jou pulled him close. Hunh, so he was awaked as well. "You sure you don't want me to kick Kemp's ass for you?"

"That's quite sweet of you... but no. I need to maintain good relations with them, at least until my experiment is ready."

"You never did tell me what's going to happen to you." Jou stroked his hair, and Gou found himself hiding his face in Jou's chest. "I mean, I know you're supposed to get stronger, but aside from that...?"

"It's just a bunch of equations." That wasn't a lie. "It'd bore you."

Joe chuckled. "Nothing about you bores me." Then he laughed again, only there was a note of nervousness in it this time. "Which is why I'd like to take you out on a date tomorrow? You know, outside and stuff."

"... I don't know, Jou. There are expenses to consider, not to mention I have so much to do--"

"Just for an hour? Just a walk in the park?"

It would nice. Escape for a bit, with Jou at his side. Forget the decisions he was going to have to make, at least for a bit.

"Okay. But just for an hour."

"Yay!" Jou kissed him-- hard. It was quite late, but Gou had no qualms in melting into the kiss, and more...

\--

The date was wonderful.

They weren't doing anything special. Just walking. But getting to see Jou in the sunshine again was more than worth it. He hadn't gotten thinner or paler in their near year with Bias at all (not like Gou), but that was to be expected. Jou made a great show of pulling him away from the few people in the park, to a tree where they couldn't be easily noticed.

Gou didn't resist when Jou pushed him against the tree trunk, gently. "And what are we supposed to be doing now?"

Jou cleared his throat. "I was thinking maybe some kissing, if you're up to that?"

Gou smiled. It was really quite endearing when Jou was being considerate. "We could try that." He leaned in for a kiss. And then another one. He took Jou's hand, pulling him closer...

And then he saw Amamiya Yuusuke out of the corner of his eye.

"Jou, what the hell?!" Yuusuke's face was twisted in hate as he dashed to the tree, fists clenched. "What are you doing?!"

"Who's that?" Jou murmured to Gou, shielding him.

Gou did the only thing he could do. "Someone that wants to hurt us." He grabbed Jou's hand, and teleported away.

\--

"Yuusuke, calm down!" Jou backed away from his currently pissed off friend. "I don't even know what you're talking about!"

"I saw you-- kissing Gou!" Yuusuke threw his arms out to his sides. "They killed our friends, how could you--"

"Yuusuke." Megumi patted Jou's shoulder before turning to him. "I was with him all day today. It couldn't have been him."

"But I saw..." Yuusuke sagged visibly. "I could've sworn that it was him. And Jou." He groaned. "Which means I was screaming my head off at some poor couple in the park for no reason."

"So, a typical day for you, hunh?" Megumi rubbed Yuusuke's back. "C'mon. We need to do more tests on the suits." He sighed, but followed her to the lab, leaving Jou alone with his thoughts.

Jou stared at his sneakers. If it really had been Gou, then despite everything, he hoped that he was all right.

\--

Jou was staring at his sneakers when Gou returned. He took in the new bruises quietly this time, even as he went to get an ice pack. "Kemp again?"

"Yes." Gou didn't leave the table. "My fault again."

"I wish you wouldn't say that." Jou raised the ice pack to his cheek. "Just let me..."

"Jou." Gou placed a hand over Jou's pushing him away. "They know about you."

"Oh."

"I'm terribly sorry." He'd practiced this in his head, when he assured Professor Bias that he would cut off his past ties for real this time. But he could barely get it out now. "Um, that's why--"

"That's why you have to turn me off?"

"... How did you know?"

"That I'm a hologram?" Jou smiled sadly. "You did a pretty good job, especially seeing how I can touch things and go outside.

"Jou, I--"

"I'm not as smart as you, but I can figure some stuff out. That switch over there? The one that controls the energy you need for things like holograms is always on. And then stuff like how I can never remember doing things here without you, or even my life before you, and..." He wasn't smiling anymore. "I looked up Amamiya-san, while you were out."

"I'm sorry."

Jou took Gou's face in his hands. "Thank you. But you really should be apologizing to Amamiya-san and his friends." He kissed Gou. "And please take care of yourself while I'm gone."

Gou kissed him, one last time. He was crying, and so was Jou, but that didn't stop him from cling to him for dear life, trying to make this last as long as it could.

But of course it had to end, no matter what. Gou took in Jou one last time as his hand hovered over the switch. "Good-bye."

Jou smiled, waving good-bye. "I love you. Please don't let them use you, okay? And..." He faltered. "If the real Jou feels even a fraction of what I do for you, then he misses you. More than anything."

"Good-bye, Jou." Gou flipped the switch for the final time, and Jou shimmered into nonexistence.

Maybe the real Jou did miss him. God knew that he missed the real Jou. But he had too much blood on his hands to turn back now, and the glory that awaited him was too much to give up.

At least he still had his experiment for his beast form.


End file.
